


Only you have the magic technique

by riversdamsel



Category: Doctor Who RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, This is dumb I'm sorry, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-28 14:31:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5094218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riversdamsel/pseuds/riversdamsel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Nicola.  Just because your husband decided to bail on these dance lessons- which you knew he would!- does not mean that I have to go with you.”</p><p>Tumblr prompt:  dance lessons</p>
            </blockquote>





	Only you have the magic technique

**Author's Note:**

> oh lord this is terrible what am I even doing with my life anymore *hides self under blankets*
> 
> Story title from "Sway" by Dean Martin
> 
> Tumblr prompt: dance lessons
> 
> This is AU!

“ _Please_!  You have to go!”  Alex’s sister whines through the phone, prompting Alex to let out a deep breath.  For a moment, she turns her gaze skyward, as if looking for some otherworldly force to bring her strength.

 

“Nicola.  Just because your husband decided to bail on these dance lessons- which you _knew_ he would!- does not mean that I have to go with you.”

 

Silence is the only response and Alex can practically hear her sister pouting.  Quietly, Nicola speaks, “I just thought it would be a good bonding experience.”

 

Ah.  The guilt card.  Alex knows it well.

 

So that’s how she finds herself being pulled into a dance studio that next weekend, hoping that the next two hours fly by rather quickly because that tub of ice cream sitting in her freezer waits for no woman.

 

“That’s the instructor, Laura.”  Nicola states as she gestures toward a tall, attractive looking brunette.  “She heads a burlesque troupe, but she does ballroom lessons on Saturdays on the side.”

 

Alex nods, her gaze moving from the instructor to scan the small crowd dispersed throughout the studio.  It doesn’t take her very long to realize that there is an odd number of people.  Her heart lifts a bit- maybe if she plays her cards right then all she will have to do is sit here for two hours.  After all, ballroom isn’t really her thing.  She much prefers interpretive dance.  Clothing optional.

 

A sharp nudge of Nicola’s elbow forces her to pay attention as the instructor greets them all with a bright smile and announces that today’s lesson will be on the waltz.  Alex groans inwardly.  She already knows how to waltz, thank you very much.  Maybe not professionally so, but she seriously doubts that one two hour lesson will change that.

 

And, come to think of it, she’s pretty sure Nicola already knows how to waltz as well.  Too busy narrowing her eyes at her sister, Alex misses the cue to find a partner- not that she was planning on looking for one anyway- and before she knows it she’s standing by herself as everyone else begins light get-to-know-you chatter in their new pairs.

 

Suddenly, it feels like she can breathe a little more freely.  She won’t have to participate after all.  Maybe, if she’s lucky, Nicola will be so distracted that she will be able to sneak out and wait on her sister outside.

 

Staring at the exit, Alex worries her bottom lip and wonders how long she has to stay before she can bail without it being considered rude.  Well, bailing at all would probably be considered rather rude, so really she could just leave right n-

 

“Hi!”  Alex jumps at the sudden appearance of the instructor, her thoughts interrupted.  “I’m Laura.  You’re Nicola’s sister, yeah?”  The woman speaks with a smile that Alex finds herself returning despite her current mood.

 

“Unfortunately.”

 

Laura laughs and tosses her long hair over her shoulder.  “I’m guessing you were dragged here against your will?”

 

“Something like that,” Alex mutters as she shoots her sister a glare from across the room.

 

“Well don’t worry, you won’t have to just sit here and do nothing- we have an uneven number today, but luckily I can fix that.”  Laura turns toward a door tucked into the corner of the studio and calls, “Matty!”

 

And somehow, just like that, Alex’s hopes of escaping vanish into thin air, leaving her heart to hang somewhere between her chest and stomach.

 

The door opens wide enough for the face of a young man to pop out, his eyebrows (nearly nonexistent, Alex notices with slight amusement) raised in question.

 

Laura gestures for him to join them.  “Come on, I need you to fill in after all.”  The way his lips thin tell Alex that he seems just about as thrilled about the whole thing as she is.  His eyes land on her, and Alex can’t help but wonder what he sees.  An annoyed, middle-aged mess of a woman, no doubt.

 

Between that second and the next, he fully enters the studio, a smile on his attractive, though strange, face.  Alex doesn’t have much time to think about how she lets her eyes drift so freely over his tall, lanky form before her thoughts are interrupted by him suddenly tripping over something…or nothing, as the case may be.

 

Gasping, Alex automatically reaches for him, but by the time she’s of any help he is already back on his feet and grinning, as if nothing happened at all.  “Sorry about that,” he speaks, a faint blush spreading across his cheeks as he extends his hand toward her.  Alex slips her palm into his much larger one, a smile working away across her face as he leans into to whisper conspiratorially, “I’m afraid my sister doesn’t put much into insuring her floor is even.  Rubbish instructor, really.”

 

Laura gasps dramatically and whacks her brother with the papers folded in her hand.  “I am a _brilliant_ instructor, and there is nothing wrong with my floor!  You’re just a clumsy idiot!”

 

Her brother grins at her in a way that conveys he was just trying to rile her up, and Laura huffs before turning her attention to Alex.  “You know what, Alex, maybe you would be better off on your own after all.”

 

“No!”  The young man speaks, gripping Alex’s hand more firmly and causing her to belatedly realize she never let go.  He looks at her, his hazel eyes suddenly wide and his lips distractingly pouty.  “You need me, right Alex?”

 

A smirk appears across Alex’s lips.  “I dunno, darling, after that entrance I’m afraid I rather fear for my toes.”

 

 _Darling_?

 

Best not think about it.

 

He gapes at her despite the amusement shining in his eyes, and Alex hears Laura snort and mutter, “Yes, you two will do just fine together,” before she silently parts from them.

 

“I think you’ll find that I’m more than capable of handling myself,” Laura’s brother replies, and before Alex can even think, the smirk on her lips has widened and she’s leaning close enough to him to get a whiff of cologne and the underlying smell of mint.

 

“But can you handle _me_?”

 

Flirting.  Oh lord, she’s flirting.  _Why_ is she flirting?

 

His eyes flash at the challenge and instead of stuttering and flailing himself into tripping again like she expects, he pulls her so they’re in starting frame for the waltz.  Her chest brushes his, he locks one hand with hers, and she feels the warmth from his other hand settle confidently at her back.

 

For a moment, she feels breathless.

 

“I’m certainly willing to try,” he finally answers, his voice low enough to send a shiver down her spine.  Her eyelids flutter and ah yes, _that’s_ why she’s flirting.

 

Not much room is left for conversation as they go through the steps, but Alex finds herself distracted regardless.  His eyes are warm, his hands are strong, he smells _delicious_ , and she even begins to find the floppy fringe of his hair endearing.

 

And then he smiles at her, or leans in to whisper some flirty remark in her ear that she can’t help but return, and by the end of the two hours he is sweeping her around the studio like they’ve been practicing the steps for years, and her heart is no longer a block of lead in her stomach, but a melted mess in her chest.

 

Once the lesson ends, Matt- only his sister calls him Matty, Alex learns- takes her hand and bends to press a soft kiss to her knuckles, leaving a small, folded piece of paper in her hand as he stands.

 

The enamored look in his eyes causes her heart to skip a beat as he bids her farewell.  Before she has a chance to respond, he turns on his heels and his spot in front her is replaced by her rather smug looking sister.  “Well it looks like somebody had fun today.”

 

Alex rolls her eyes, unable to keep the small smile from her face as she unfolds the small note Matt left in her hands.

 

 _Dinner?_   With a time and place scrawled underneath.

 

Nicola nudges her.  “You could always join me next week, you know.”

 

“Actually,” answers Alex as she grins happily down at the note, “I already have plans.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading (:


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